


Of Hoodies and Hardship

by StutteryPrince



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 15:42:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10834302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StutteryPrince/pseuds/StutteryPrince
Summary: When Coran takes an interest in the Earth wear called "hoodies", it sparks a line of excitement within the team. You'd think now that they all had team hoodies, every thing would be smooth sailing for even a little while, right? Wrong.





	Of Hoodies and Hardship

“Hey Pidge, what’s a ‘hoodie?’”

The young paladin stopped what she was working on, looking up at Coran with eyebrows raised. She set her tools aside, crossing her arms as she tapped her chin in thought.

“You see my shirt? It’s like that, but it goes over my shirt and it’s kinda big and made of soft fabric and it has a hood, like a cloak. It’s like what Lance wears, but thicker and without a zipper.”

Coran nodded, still hovering over Pidge, even as she sat back down and returned to her work. She screwed a screw into place for about three seconds, before setting the tools down and tilting her head back to look at the Altean.

“Do you want one, Coran?”

“Maaaybe.”

Pidge sighed, but a smile was present on her face.

“I’ll see if I can get Hunk to do it.”

Seeing the stars light up Coran’s eyes is all it took for Pidge to smile wider herself. Coran patted her shoulder before running off to attend to whatever he usually did at this time. Pidge chuckled, shaking her head, before she reached over and grabbed her helmet off the ground next to her. She activated the comlink, selecting Hunk, before actually putting it on.

“Hunk, can you hear? Come in, Hunk.”

After a few seconds, the line came in and Hunk’s voice came in clearly.

“I read you, Pidge. What’s up?”

“You can sew and stitch and stuff right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I got a project for ya.”  
\-----  
Coran tapped his feet excitedly, watching as Hunk placed the final stitch in the fabric of the cream orange hoodie. It had “Space Uncle” written in light blue letters across the front, a suggestion by Pidge, and on the back it read “Best Advisor” in the same color. Hunk cut the thread and stood up, holding the hoodie up to admire his work.

“Looks nice! Here ya go Coran.”

Coran shot up from his seat, grabbing the hoodie and slipping it over his head. He giggled like a child as he pulled on the edge of the hoodie, looking at it with a smile that reached that marks under his eyes. He pulled the hood over his head, pulling it over his eyes. 

“Good to see you like it! It took forever to find the blue that matched your markings, remember?”

The memory of the near hour spent at the fabric merchants played in Coran’s mind. Hunk couldn't to flip through colors, deeming them “too blue” or “not blue enough”, even when Coran said he liked a certain shade. They _finally_ found it and the merchant let them go free of charge, so long as Hunk had his mind made up the next time they were there.

“Unfortunately! I said half the colors were fine!”

“Fine, but not perfect. It's your first hoodie after all.”

Coran's chipper attitude came back fast as lightning as he stuffed his hands in the large pocket. He was absolutely enthralled by his new possession, unable to stop smiling.

“We've got to show Allura! Come on!”

Before Hunk could object, Coran had grabbed his hand and was speeding with him down the hallway. They reached the map room in no time, Hunk dizzy and unstable. Coran entered the room, happy to find Allura checking over the castle statistics. He ran up to her, practically bouncing.

“Allura! Look what Hunk made for me!”

The princess turned around after a moment of looking at the screens, surprised to see Coran in the garment. She pulled at the sleeve, confused.

“What is it?”

“It's called a hoodie! It's a thing Earthlings wear stay warm or sometimes for no reason at all!”

Allura’s eyes sparkled as she took in the new information. Hunk walked up, having recovered from the small moment of motion sickness Coran had inflicted upon him. Allura looked at him, straightening up and standing with the poise a princess should possess.

“It’s wonderful, Hunk. You have a good hand when it comes to making clothes.”

Allura turned her nose up and placed her hands behind her back. They stood in silence for a few seconds, with Hunk looking at Allura, unimpressed.

“You want one, don’t you?”

“...If it’s not too much trouble.”

Hunk sighed, but he couldn’t help but smile at the princess.

“Come on. To the fabric merchant!”  
\-------  
Allura received her hoodie quicker than Coran, due to the merchant basically shoving the correct color to match Allura’s eye markings into his arms. The hoodie itself was purple with “Space Big Sister” written across the front in pink letters, another suggestion from Pidge, and “Best Princess” on the back. Both Alteans wore their hoodies proudly around the castle, only taking them off when dinner needed to be made, and even then they were tied around their waists, a trick Lance taught them. 

It wasn’t too much after this, that Lance came to Hunk, asking for a hoodie of his own. Though disgruntled the slightest bit, Hunk complied with Lance, making him a dark blue hoodie with white letters that read “Space Brother”, once again a suggestion from Pidge, and it said “Blue Paladin” on the back.

The team was resting in the commons, drifting through space in a Zarkon-free territory. Coran and Allura were both being taught by Lance how to play a mobile game, who insisted on it when he assumed they were going to be indulging in Earth things like hoodies. 

“So you connect them and then they disappear?”

“Yeah! And if you connect enough, you can get bubbles that you tap and they explode the ones surrounding them.”

Shiro lowered his book, watching the three of them play the game before he turned to the rest of the team.

“When did Lance get a hoodie? I thought just Coran and Allura had them.”

Shiro and Keith turned to look at Pidge and Hunk, who were tinkering on the floor. Hunk had jumped at the sudden attention.

“He asked me for one! What, do you want me to make some for you guys too?”

“I’d like one,” Pidge chimed.

“They do look comfortable,” Shiro said, looking back at the three.

“It would be a team thing, right,” Keith questioned.

Hunk stuttered, before hanging his head in defeat. He mumbled something about him and his big mouth before he picked up Pidge.

“Wha-? Why am I going with you?”

“You started this, Pidge. Suffer with me.”  
\---------------  
Soon, the entire team had hoodies. Like always, Hunk had made them, but Pidge had decided what they had said.

Shiro’s was black with “Space Dad” on the front in white letters and “Black Paladin” on the back. The back was also adorned with the same red jets as his lion, but in the form on a design. 

Keith’s was red with “Space Brother” on the front in white letters and “Red Paladin” on the back.

Hunk’s was yellow with “Space Brother” on the front in white letters and “Yellow Paladin” on the back.

Pidge’s was green with “Space Little Sister” on the front in white letters and “Green Paladin” on the back.

Hunk was found asleep at his desk the next day and everyone decided that he deserved it. He had worked hard to make the hoodies for them. When they weren’t actually doing anything, they wore the hoodies nearly all the time. The only person that wore theirs 24/7 was Coran. He was never seen without it, either wearing it, having it tied around his waist, or even just having it slung over his shoulder.

The team took down another Garla arsenal and was taking a well deserved break in another Galra-free star system. They lounged in the commons again, dressed in hoodies and doing their own thing. It was mostly silent, but it was a comfortable silence. Keith, suddenly bored and unable to train with the injury he received from a Galra soldier, spoke up.

“Hey Coran.”

“Hm,” he didn’t look up from his turn with the game.

“Got any stories about Altea?”

Coran paused, which prompted Allura taking Lance’s phone to finish his turn. He turned to Keith, surprised the question came from him, but smiled at him nonetheless. 

“I have a few-”

“Hundred,” Allura mumbled under her breath.

“That I can share, if you like?”

The team, intrigued with hearing about the place where two of their best friends came from, set aside what they were doing and gathered on the floor around Coran like children when their grandfather was about the tell a story on Christmas. 

“I can’t believe all of you actually want to listen! Well, lemme think of a good one then.”

Coran began to lament about Altea and it’s unimaginable beauty. He described every flower he could remember and how the air smelled like what earthlings called cherry blossoms. He described the clear blue sky and how the market was always bustling with activity. He stood up, attempting to replicate the statue of King Alfor that had been erected in the town square. Speaking of King Alfor, Coran began to talk about the royal family and eventually baby Allura, despite her protests about it. He told them how she used to pull on his mustache and have him chase her around, but to save her ego, Coran put in the first time she had ever flipped him during training as a child. 

“Can you do it again?”

“With pleasure, Keith!”

Coran screamed when Allura stood up and grabbed his wrist, flipping him over her head and onto the floor of the castle. The older Altean wheezed, rolling onto his side and placing his hands on his back.

“Why, Allura?”

“Next time, we’ll keep our baby stories to ourselves, hm?”

Coran nodded and Allura chuckled, helping him up and placing him on the couch.

“You’ve certainly gotten stronger over the years.”

 

“Or maybe you’ve just gotten old.”

Coran pouted at his charge, who simply giggled and waved at him to continue his tales. Coran, though still slightly huffy, continued to tell the paladins of Altea. He told about all the people who had known and all the people he had loved, even his grandfather, saying that he would have loved Pidge to pieces. Coran’s voice suddenly fell quiet and he stared at the floor, eyes empty and forlorn. The paladins and Allura moved towards him a little, their happiness turning into concern.

“Coran? Is everything alright?”

Coran suddenly vaulted over the couch, running off down the hallway with the others calling after him. He soon disappeared from sight. Shiro turned to Allura, who was still looking after where Coran had gone.

“What just happened? Is he okay?”

“I don’t think so. Coran remembers everything his five senses have ever come in contact with, a gift that only few Alteans have. I think he may have remembered a bit too much just now.”

The paladins hung their heads, each feeling guilty about what happened.

“We shouldn’t have asked him.”

Keith stood up, albeit staggering to get up with his broken arm, and looked down the hallway.

“No, _I_ shouldn’t have asked him. I’ll go see where he went.”

Shiro placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder, the one that didn’t have a sling over it.

“No, _we’ll_ go see where he went. All of us.”

The other paladins and Allura all stood up, smiling and nodding. Shiro motioned for them to follow and they all split up into three groups, calling out for Coran.

Coran practically pushed the door to his room open, slamming his back against it the moment it slid closed. He breathed heavily as nonstop memories of his friends and family being killed and imprisoned flashed before his eyes. He yanked the hood of his hoodie over his eyes, sliding down the door until he was on the floor. Coran began to cry, rubbing at his eyes with his gloved hands. He continued to mumbled that it was okay and that it all over, pulling into himself. He rocked back and forth, just waiting for the memories to go away like always. He tried his hardest to ignore the voices, the _screams_ , of the people he loved playing in his mind.

_Your family is gone, Coran._

_They're all dead, Coran._

_You couldn't save them, Coran._

Coran placed his hands over his ears, talking to himself. He continued to keep the hood over his eyes, trying to chase the thoughts away. 

“Coran?”

“Coran? Where are you?”

Coran looked up, hearing the voices Pidge and Hunk over the ones that accused him. He sighed and placed his head on knees as he brought them closer.

“I'm…I’m in here!”

Coran tried to focus on their footsteps, basically the only other noise than the ones from his memories. The door slid open and they walked in, sitting down next to him when closed.

“Hey, what happened back there?”

“Yeah, you just ran off.”

Coran looked at both paladins before he let a sigh escape his lips.

“I remembered the war, like always. It's nothing, honest. It's just something that has to pass. I'll be alright in a bit, really. Just...Just-!”

Coran suddenly pulled the hood over his head again, cringing hard as he pulled into himself again. Hunk and Pidge both reached forward, wrapping their arms around the injured man. They both rubbed his back as he started crying again, gently whispering, “It's okay,” and, “Don't worry, we're here.” Hunks comlink buzzed, startling them all.

“Lance to Hunk. You there, buddy?”

“Yeah, I'm here.”

“Did you guys find Coran yet?”

Just as Hunk was about to answer, Coran grabbed his sleeve to derail his attention towards him. He shook his head, silently begging not to reveal his location. Hunk hesitated, looking at Coran until Lance's voice brought him back.

“Hunk? Hunk!”

“What? Oh, uh, no, we haven't found Coran yet.”

“Dang. Well, keep looking. We're all starting to get more worried than before.”

“Got it. Hunk out.”

The line cut and Coran released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Coran laid his head against Hunks shoulder, prompting Pidge to move closer and hug him around the chest.

“So what happens when memories attack you?”

“W-Well, first I see everyone I loved back on Altea.”

Pidge shifted closer, leaning against his chest and leaving him comfortably smushed between the two paladins. Coran put an arm around her and his other around Hunk, but at an angle to where he could pull them back quick enough to place his hands over his ears and not hit them.

“Then I have to watch them captured and murdered, right before my very eyes…I-I hear voices, telling me it's my fault, and-and I hear the screams of them and-!”

Coran began to hyperventilate, but all it took was a little shaking and calls of his name to bring him back. He whimpered and placed his hands over his ears, whispering to himself that it was okay. Pidge looked at him, her heart shattering into pieces. Coran was supposed to be strong and able to help others. Who knew he couldn't even help himself? Pidge nodded to herself and looked up at Hunk.

“I got an idea.”  
\-------  
The rest of the team returned to the commons, still stressed and upset. They hadn't succeeded in finding Coran and the guilt in the air was starting to get heavier. Lance looked over his shoulder at the hallway.

“Hey, where are Hunk and Pidge? They still haven't come back yet.”

It wasn't long after he had said that, that footsteps started to ring out. They were slow and balanced, accompanied with the soft sound of music. Everyone turned towards the hallway, seeing Pidge and Hunk on either side of Coran. Coran was blindfolded and had Pidge’s headphones on his ears, the two paladins calmly leading him towards the commons.

“Coran!”

Everyone jumped up and ran towards the trio, but Hunk and Pidge gestured for them to stay back.

“Hunk? Pidge? You still there?”

They both looped a hand back around his arm, causing him relax. 

“Is anyone else here? I felt footsteps.”

Pidge held up his hand and traced “L-A-N-C-E” and “S-H-I-R-O” into his palm. Hunk spelled “K-E-I-T-H” and “A-L-L-U-R-A” into his other palm after she was done.

“Ah! So the gang’s all here!”

Coran and Pidge lead him to the couch's, where they sat him down between them. The others joined, taking their seats back as quickly as they had abandoned them. They sat in mostly silence, the only noise being Coran's questions and the music leaking from the headphones.

“Okay, I'll ask for everyone. What's going on?”

“Well, Lance,” Pidge paused to adjust her glasses, “Coran was having trouble with something, so we helped him.”

“That doesn't completely answer my question.”

Pidge smiled at him, looking up at Coran, who was smiling and talking to Hunk as he spelled into his hand.

“I think I'm ready to take all this off now.”

Pidge pulled the headphones down to his neck and Hunk undid the blindfold, making him flinch at the sudden light. Everyone waited, staring at Coran.

“Yes, you can hug me now.”

“Coran!”

Everyone rushed forward, trapping Coran in a four way hug.

“We're sorry we made you tell us those stories!”

“Lance, it's okay! Pidge and Hunk showed me a way to chase off the bad memories.”

Allura picked up the blindfold, running her fingers over the material. It seemed to be part of a bed sheet.

“Is that what the blindfold is for?”

“And the headphones?”

Coran nodded, a smile stretched across his face. Pidge and Hunk fist bumped as they listened to Coran explain the purpose of both items, occasionally grabbing one of their hands when he felt the need to.

“So, basically, the music keeps the sound out and the blindfold keeps me, well, blind. It really helps. I’d still be in my room thinking about my missing family if it weren’t for these two.”

Coran wrapped his arms around Hunk and Pidge’s necks, hugging them close to himself. Everyone chuckled, joining in on the hug.

“Well, we’re glad you’re okay.”

“I am too. Now, who wants to hear more stories about Altea?”

Once again, everyone gathered at Coran’s feet, listening attentively. He occasionally glanced at the names embroidered onto the front of the jackets they wore as he continued to tell tales, smiling and making sure to go into detail about certain things. He told of the weapons they had, including his own, and of previous paladins. The blindfold and headphones laid untouched on the couch behind him, because he didn’t need them right now.

Right now was story time for him and the family.


End file.
